The present invention relates to a cartridge for tapes such as a digital data storage (DDS) tape and a digital audio tape (DAT), and more particularly, to a tape cartridge including reels locked by a reel lock member when the tape cartridge is not in use.
Referring to FIG. 9, a known tape cartridge 101 comprises a pair of reels or hubs 103, 104 having a magnetic tape or information recording medium 102 wound thereon, a shell 107 for rotatably housing the reels 103, 104 and including upper and lower halves 105, 106, a lid or rotary flap 109 rotatably mounted to the shell 107 on the front end and for covering the tape 102 running in a loading opening or a pocket 108 arranged in a front portion of the shell 107, a slide shutter 110 slidably mounted to a lower side of the shell 107 and for closing a lower portion of the pocket 108, a reel lock member 111 for ensuring lock of the reels 103, 104 and releasing lock thereof in connection with closing and opening operations of the lid 109, and a spring member or a reel lock spring 112 for biasing the reel lock member 111 in the reel lock direction.
Referring to FIG. 10, each reel 103, 104 has a reel seat 103a, 104a at the lower end, which is loosely engaged with a reel receiver or a reel-seat hole 106a, 106b of the lower half 106 for rotation therein. The reel lock member 111 has a pair of reel engagements or claws 111a, 111b, which is engaged with counter-engagements or claw engagements 103a, 104b of the reels 103, 104 to prevent rotation thereof.
When assembling the tape cartridge 101, first, the reels 103, 104, the reel lock member 111, the reel lock spring 112, etc. are mounted to the lower half 106. Then, the upper half 105 is connected to the lower half 106 by fixtures such as screws 113 to form the shell 107. Finally, the lid 109 and the slide shutter 110 are mounted to the shell 107.
However, the known tape cartridge 101 has the following inconveniences:
1) Referring to FIGS. 9-10, when having mounted the reels 103, 104, the reel lock member 111, and the reel lock spring 112 to the lower half 106, the reel lock member 111 is urged to slide by force of the reel lock spring 112 so as to engage the reel engagements 111a, 111b with the counter-engagements 103b, 104b of the reels 103, 104, preventing rotation thereof. However, referring to FIG. 11, if the reel lock member 111 is urged to slide further by force of the reel lock spring 112 so as to push the reels 103, 104, the reel seats 103a, 104a are pressed on the inner peripheral surfaces of the reel receivers 106a, 106b of the lower half 106.
This causes the reel lock member 111 and the reels 103, 104 to form an L-shaped protrusion.
Referring to FIG. 12, in assembling of the shell 107, a height checker block 201 serves to detect whether or not the reels 103, 104 and the reel lock member 111 are normally set on the lower half 106. If the reel lock member 111 and the reels 103, 104 swell out like an L-shape as described above, the assemblage may be detected as defective due to the fact that a reel-lock-spring engagement 111c, arranged on the reel lock member 111 contacts the height checker block 201.
2) While the reel lock member 111 and the reels 103, 104 form an L-shaped protrusion, a lower edge 102a of an outer peripheral portion of the magnetic tape 102 wound on the reels 103, 104 is pressed on the inner bottom or the inner side of the lower half 106, which may be damaged to produce a disadvantage for recording and reproducing of the tape 102.
3) If the reel lock member 111 pushes the reels 103, 104 excessively strongly, there may occur deformation or damage of the reel engagements 111a, 111b of the reel lock member 111 or the counter-engagements 103b, 104b of the reels 103, 104.
4) The above inconveniences can be removed by a reduction in the biasing pressure of the reel lock spring 112 by changing, e.g. the diameter thereof. However, this method reduces a reel lock effect when the tape cartridge 101 is not in use.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a tape cartridge that is free of the above inconveniences, and enables sure reel lock without any damage of the device components.
One aspect of the present invention lies in providing a cartridge, comprising:
reels having a tape wound thereon, said reels including seats at lower ends thereof;
a shell rotatably housing said reels, said shell including upper and lower halves, said lower half being formed with receivers with which said seats of said reels are loosely engaged, respectively, and an opening for loading said tape;
lid rotatably mounted to said shell, said lid closing said opening of said shell;
a lock member ensuring lock of said reels in connection with closing operation of said lid;
a spring biasing said lock member in a reel lock direction; and
means for restricting movement of said lock member when said lock member is urged to move to a reel lock position.
Another aspect of the present invention lies in providing a cartridge, comprising:
reels having a tape wound thereon, said reels including seats at lower ends thereof;
a shell rotatably housing said reels, said shell including upper and lower halves, said lower half being formed with receivers with which said seats of said reels are loosely engaged, respectively, and an opening for loading said tape;
a lid rotatably mounted to said shell, said lid closing said opening of said shell;
a lock member ensuring lock of said reels in connection with closing operation of said lid;
a spring biasing said lock member in a reel lock direction; and
a device arranged with said lower half, said device restricting movement of said lock member when said lock member is urged to move to a reel lock position.